5 Oral Health Myths Debunked

Ensuring you have a good oral health routine is critical for maintaining your oral health and fighting off bacteria. To help you maintain your pearly whites we’ve compiled a list of the most common oral health myths that are false and should be ignored!

Myth: Wet the toothpaste before brushing

It is a common misconception that you must run your toothbrush with toothpaste on under the tap before brushing, this is a myth. Toothpaste already contains water so adding additional water isn’t necessary. Adding too much additional water to your toothpaste can dilute it and make it less effective so we wouldn’t recommend doing this often.

Myth: Rinse after brushing

Rinsing your mouth with water after brushing your teeth may be doing more harm than good. Our teeth are similar to a sponge, they absorb the toothpaste during and after brushing to keep your mouth in maximum health. Spitting away excess toothpaste after brushing is more than efficient.

Myth: Brush immediately after eating

You may have heard the myth that you should brush your teeth immediately after brushing to remove food particles from between your teeth and gumline. In reality, you should wait 30 minutes before brushing your teeth for an important reason. When you eat and drink, the pH level changes in your mouth, making your saliva much more acidic. If you brush immediately after brushing you are spreading the acid around your mouth and risking potential tooth erosion.

Myth: Brush hard to remove stains

Brushing your teeth too hard can cause irreparable damage to your gums and tooth enamel. There is no need to scrub at your teeth and it won’t help remove stubborn stains. Use a soft bristled brush and ensure you are brushing in circular motions up against the gum line. Use a whitening toothpaste for stains and contact your dentist about professional teeth whitening for darker, deeper stains.

Myth: Brushing your gums is harmful

Gently brushing against the gumline to remove bacteria and food debris can help maintain the health of your gums. Brushing your gums isn’t harmful and can be beneficial, especially if you have gum disease, just use soft pressure.